Roster of 13 boasts strong returning group
Andy Scheidler
sports@thefranklinpress.com
As he prepares for his 11th season at the helm, Franklin girls basketball coach Scott Hartbarger has a luxury he hasn’t previously enjoyed.
All five starters from last year are back, as well as his top eight scorers.
“It’s really nice having the top eight scorers back and then adding five other girls with it,” Hartbarger said. “I have confidence in all 13 of them. Wouldn’t hesitate to put any of them into the game.”
Back for the Panthers are starters Canaan Drake, Sierra Wade, Makayla Brewer, Sydney Williams and Nevaeh Tran. Not surprisingly, they were the leading scorers.
Drake led the way at 10 points per game. She also averaged more than 11 rebounds and earned all-conference honors as a sophomore.
Hartbarger said Drake is getting more confident in her abilities every day.
“That’s all she lacks is confidence,” he said. “She’s got everything else. We have to tell her constantly, ‘Shoot the ball.’ She’s a little reluctant because she’s such a team player.”
Sierra Wade was next at 9.1 points per game. During her freshman season, she typically relied on getting her points from the perimeter.
Hartbarger said Wade had a really good summer. She began driving the ball to the basket, plus she played good defense and frequently got deflections.
“I look forward to her being more than just a shooter,” Hartbarger said. “She’s become a well-rounded player.”
Brewer also averaged 9.1 points per game. She was a junior who transferred from McDowell.
Brewer missed seven games during the middle of the season because of injury. However, she excelled toward the end of the season. She scored at least 12 points in each of the final four games, including a season-high 18 against Brevard in the Mountain Six Conference tournament.
“If we can keep her healthy,” Hartbarger said, “then she’ll help us tremendously.”
Sydney Williams was next at 7.6 points per game. The post player was a freshman, and her game is progressing with each day.
“She just needs confidence like Canaan,” Hartbarger said.
Nevaeh Tran averaged 6.5 points in her second year starting at point guard. She earned all-conference honors during her sophomore campaign after averaging 3.2 assists and 2.0 steals.
Tran struggled at the beginning of last year with turnovers, but Hartbarger said it helped her gain more experience.
“She sees the floor well,” he said. “Toward end of year, she settled down and distributed the ball better.”
Another player who could provide a scoring boost is senior Chela Green. She averaged 7.0 points in 18 games last season for Highlands.
She fits in with the team really well, Hartbarger said. Green is 5-foot-7, and she’s a versatile player who can play at the 2, 3 or 4.
“We’ll use her in different spots and rotations,” Hartbarger said, “which will make us that much deeper.”
Other returners are senior Taylor Carlton, and juniors Kandice Parker and Kyndell Burns.
Carlton was voted a team captain, along with Brewer and Tran.
“Lead by example,” Carlton said when asked about her role as a captain. “Make sure you push the team no matter.”
“On and off the court,” Tran chimed in.
The Panthers voted on captains Monday. They found out who got the most votes moments before playing a scrimmage against Walhalla.
“It means a lot that my teammates look up to me like that,” Brewer said.
Newcomers include Green, juniors Chesnie Berry and Sydney Chapman, sophomore Corey Burrell, and freshman Tori Ensley.
Hartbarger said he hopes to develop a rotation to where every gets adequate playing time – which is earned in practice.
“As deep as we can go, we should be able to pressure from the very start to the finish and run fresh bodies in when we need to,” Hartbarger said.
Depth is expected to be one of the team’s many strengths. Rebounding should be another, as well as length and speed.
Hitting the weight room in BFS class has been very beneficial, Hartbarger said, and the girls continue to gain confidence.
“The girls are excited; I’m excited. I think it’s gonna be a great year,” Hartbarger said.
“And all around, all four teams, I think it should be exciting.”
Primary goal: win a conference championship
Andy Scheidler
sports@thefranklinpress.com
The goals and expectations are virtually the same at the start of every basketball season.
Winning a conference championship is always a primary goal for Franklin’s girls. That’s certainly the case once again this winter, with eight returning players, including the entire starting lineup from last year.
“Every year we talk about winning the conference so that you host games in the playoffs and don’t have to travel, win the conference tournament,” coach Scott Hartbarger said, “and going as far as we can in the playoffs. That’s always the expectation.”
FHS went 13-14 last year, which was the second straight losing season after averaging 20 wins per year in the eight previous campaigns.
But the Panthers ended last season on a positive note by winning the Mountain Six Conference tournament as the No. 4 seed.
“I think we started winning and having fun,” junior Nevaeh Tran said of the late-season surge that saw the Panthers win six of eight before a state playoff loss to Smoky Mountain.
“Hopefully we start off like that,” said senior Makayla Brewer, who was named MVP of the MSC tournament.
The Panthers will open the season Saturday at Highlands. They’ll play again Dec. 5 at Cherokee, before playing at home in the third game of the season Dec. 9 against Hayesville.
Hartbarger is set to embark on his 11th season with the program. He’s the longest-tenured coach in FHS girls basketball history.
The Panthers could help Hartbarger reach a coaching milestone this season. His record stands at 180-91.
A 20-win season – something FHS has achieved five times under Hartbarger – would put him at 200.
Team captains are Brewer, Tran and Taylor Carlton. When asked which game they’re most looking forward to playing, Tran and Carlton immediately answered with the same opponent.
“Pisgah,” they said simultaneously.
Carlton cited the intense atmosphere associated with playing the Black Bears.
Tran mentioned beating them in last year’s MSC tournament championship game. The Panthers led 36-20 going in the fourth quarter. They managed to withstand a furious Pisgah rally and won 40-35.
“That was a crazy game,” Tran said.
Pisgah was the first team Hartbarger mentioned when asked which teams in the conference the Panthers will likely have to battle for the title. They graduated a couple players, but the Black Bears always seem to be in the hunt.
“They have a lot of pride and a lot of tradition there,” Hartbarger said, “so I think they’ll always be right there.”
East Henderson shared the regular season title with Smoky Mountain, but the Eagles lost heavily to graduation.
Brevard had a good young team that could be very competitive this year, Hartbarger said.
As for Smoky, which won its fifth straight conference title, Hartbarger wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
One thing is certain: the Panthers will look to employ full-court pressure. Their depth should allow them to play at a fast pace throughout the entire game, with the goal to speed teams up, force turnovers and wear them down in the second half.
Hartbarger expects to employ multiple full-court presses and half-court defenses. They went to primarily using a 2-3 matchup zone last season, which proved most effective because of their length.
The 2-3 zone could be their go-to defense again, but they’ll also employ a half-court trap in addition to basic man-to-man.
“Just trying to confuse people, give them different looks,” Hartbarger said.
Carlton said the Panthers’ press is one of their strengths because of their length and quickness.
Aside from the tangible goals of winning the conference and going deep in the state playoffs, Carlton hopes the Panthers achieve another goal.
“Just come together as a team,” she said. “No drama. Make sure we’re friends on and off the court, but we’re pushing each other on the court.”
Hartbarger was impressed with that team goal.
“They realize how good they can be,” he said, “but they’ve got to be willing and on the same page.”